The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, finding that February 25, 2016 was the earliest date on which the evidence showed he had a condition manifesting as radiculopathy.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the competent medical evidence did not show the Veteran had a condition manifesting as radiculopathy prior to February 25, 2016, and thus this was the appropriate effective date for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy, right lower extremity, radiculopathy, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 9, 2025
- Citation
- 25009008
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, pending implementation of an earlier effective date for urge incontinence.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for radiculopathy, as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis of radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for hepatitis C and related conditions as they are inextricably intertwined.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, IVDS, radiculopathy, and bulging disc to obtain a more thorough medical opinion.
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